Lie to Me-- the fan girl review by Alexis-Rueal

This week's episode of Lie to Me was quite interesting; and considering the state of affairs in the world, quite uncomfortable to watch.

This episode finds Cal and the team setting out to help an Iraq war veteran named Jeff Turley who almost killed his own child. He keeps claiming that someone is after him. During their preliminary work,Cal and Foster find out that he is about to be awarded the silver star.

Cal spends quite a bit of time pushing this guys buttons to see whether he is suffering from PTSD(post traumatic stress disorder). I have to give it to the guest star,Enver Gjokaj, he did a REMARKABLE job portraying a veteran fighting the memories of war and trying to keep from losing his mind. I was engrossed with his character; and was in turn sympathetic to him and frightened by him.

Cal and Foster end up giving Turley an fMRI and find out that he is seeing everyone as an enemy. Cal also discovers that Jeff is more ashamed than proud to be receiving the silver star.

I love the technology Lie to Me uses to study truth and lies and emotions. In this episode,Foster uses a virtual reality machine to help Jeff relive the incident that got him the silver star. He starts reliving the incident and you can tell that he's flipping out at the reenactment. When he gets to a red door, he starts dodging going through the door and Cal calls him a coward. Jeff replies "you calling me a coward, Captain?" Cal has Torres and Foster go to find the captain, Captain Renshaw, who is about to re-deploy to Iraq.

We find out from Renshaw that Turley froze up during the firefight and the entire team wanted to kill him for a moment. Foster and Torres ask why the captain recommended Turley for the silver star. Renshaw explains that bravery is overcoming your fear. Turley overcame his fear and pulled bodies and survivors.

Torres think he is telling the truth, but Foster says that's because the Captain was flirting with her. Foster feels that the Captain is hiding something.

During the investigation, Cal finds bruises on Turley's son. His son says they are from his dad's army buddy, Ronnie. Looks like Ronnie was having close contact with his mom. Not having an affiar... yet.

Cal finds out that Jeff escaped and they go check with Ronnie. Ronnie tells them it's been tough and that Jeff was there and that his gun is missing. We also find out that there are issues with Captain Renshaw. Looks like we know where Cal's headed.

They go to the Captain's house and the Captain claims Jeff isn't there. But Turley is there... and he has a gun trained right on Renshaw. Don't know about you, but I would be a tad bit concerned at having a sleep deprived half-psychotic man who is DAMN GOOD WITH FIREARMS pissed off at me.

Cal sneaks into the Captain's house and gets the Captain's gun--we have us a showdown!-- and they find out that Jeff is trying to kill himself. He says he let everyone down.

Thanks to Cal's almost unequaled ability to bullshit, he convinces Jeff to finish the virtual reenactment to see what happened in Iraq. Jeff can't get passed that red door. Cal keeps wheedling him until Jeff screams "my son is in there!"

Jeff said he killed a child combatant. But at that leaves everyone wondering why that would make the captain want to kill him?

Cal comes up with a plan:

Cal and the team go with the Captain Renshaw, Ronnie and Jeff to a warehouse to reenact the assult. Jeff remembers that he froze and did not kill the child.

We come to find out that the captain killed a soldier by accident and then called for the area to be destroyed by an air strike. That is what Turley's mind couldn't handle.

There was a small subplot concerning Cal's past: the main plot was a reflection of Cal's life as the child of a war veteran. There are still issues between Cal and his dad... and I think before it is over, we'll get some more details on them.

This wasn't one of the humorous episodes. It took a very serious topic about the mental health of veterans and added that level of mystery that makes Lie to Me entertaining television. I found this week to be very interesting, indeed.


That's it for tonight; I'll be back on Tuesday with America's Got Talent

Til then!
Alexis-Rueal
(fan girl confessor)